Telegraph system



Feb. 26 1924. 1,484,762

G. c. CUMMINGS TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Filed Sept. 17 1920 Polar/zed PatentedFeb. 26, 1924.

UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE o. CUMMINGS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssieNon '10 WESTERNELEC- TRTc COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A C RPORATION OFNEW YORK.

TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

Application filed September 17, 1920. Serial No. 410,904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. CUMMINGS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex, State of NewJerse have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Telegra hSystems, of which the following is a ful, clear, concise, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to telegraph systems and apparatus and itsprincipal ob ject is to provide an improved apparatus for relaying orrepeating signal current impulses from one circuit to another.

In operating telegraph apparatus over long lines, the transmission lossdue to inductive disturbances or from the exposure to high tension orother telegraphic circuits or other causes is often times very great. Inorder to prevent the mutilation and distortion of the signal currentimpulses by such effects, and to render reliable operation of thereceiving equipment, it is necessary with the voltages employed to makea material diminution in speed. It is to overcome some of thesedifficulties that the present invention was devised.

In attaining the above object and in elimi ating some of thedifiiculties experienced lieretofo're in operating telegraph apparatusover long lines, the present invention contemplates the employment of apolar relay which, under certain circumstances, has a tendency tovibrate at a definite speed. -This efi'ect is produced by providing anelectric instrument or relay having a plurality of windings, one ofwhich is associated with an incomin line. The others or what may betermed final circuit windings are so arranged that the normal tendencythereof is to reverse the position of the armature. There is alsoassociated with this winding suitable capacity and resistances so thatunder certain conditions the relay will be self-vibrating, the rate ofvibration being controlled by the value of the capacity and theresistance. Heretofore it has been the usual practice to arrange theline winding in a manner whereby when current of a definite value istraversing this winding the influence on the armature caused by thelocal circuit windings will be neutralized. To operate the rela it isnecessary to decrease the magnetic e ect of the line winding forpermitting the influence produced by the local circuit windings topredominate and cause the reversal of the armature. In the presentinvention, however, an additional local circuit winding is providedwhich normally opposes the influence of the other local circuitwindings, normally there being no current traversing the line winding.Thus to operate the relay it is necessary that the magnetization of theline winding be increased. With the influence exerted by one of thelocal circuit windings added to that of the line winding, the positionof the armature will be reversed. It is thus evident that the presentinvention provides an arrangement wherein a wide variation, in thecurrent'values of the received signals is permitted without causingdistorted repeated signals.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the followindescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown a pair of incomingconductors 5 and 6 respectively. These conductors extend from a distantstation (not shown) and terminate in a winding 4 which forms a part of apolarized relay. This relay consists of suitable cores (not shown)arranged in any desired manner. An armature 15 pivoted at one extremityis adapted to cooperate with opposing contacts 16 and 17, respectively,connected with the positive and negative terminals of grounded batteries10 and 19. The value of the current flowing to the respective contactsis controlled by means of suitable resistances 9 and 18 con nected inseries with these batteries.

About the cores (not shown) the line winding 4 is wound. This winding isconnected with the conductors 5 and 6 and is adapted to be traversed bysignal current impulses as transmitted from a distant station. Normallythe line winding 4 is not traversed by signal current impulses. Inaddition to the line winding 4 there is also provided a pair of localcircuit windings 7 and 11 respectively. For the sake of clearness, thesewindings will be hereinafter designated as the opposing and acceleratingwindings. One terminal of each of these windings is connected togetherwhich in turn is connected through a resistance 12 to the armature 15 aswell as through a polarized sounder 20 and a suitable resistanceamociated therewith to ground. The other terminal of the winding 7 isconnected through a resistance 8 to ground, whii-e the other terminal ofthe winding 11 is connected to ground through a condenser 1 the purposeof the resistance 8 and the condenserlat will be described hereinafter.

With the arrangement heretofore described, the relay is self-vibratingin the following manner. Upon the engagement of: the armature 15 withcontact 16 a momentary surge of current passes through the windings 7and 11. The magnetic eii'ect of the winding '2' tends to reverse theposition of the armature 15 but is opposed due to the influence of thewinding 11 which is energized by the momentary flow of current in thecircuit necessary to charge the condenser 1 1. The armature 15 is thusretained against contact 16 and agood conducting contact is insured.However, the instant the condenser 1e is completely charged, themagnetic effect of the winding 7 which is in opposition to that producedby windin 11, builds up to a value suiticient to reverse the position ofthe armature 15. The instant the armature 15 moves away from contact 16,the circuit previously established for charging the condenser 14: isbroken. The condenser 14 is thereby per mitted to discharge through thewindings 11 and 7 and the resistance 8 to ground. The eiiect produced bythe discharge of the condenser 14 in this manner tends to accelerate themovement of the armature 15 to the opposing contact 17. Upon theengagement of the armature 15 with contact 17 current is caused to flowfrom battery 19, through resistance 18, contact 17, armature 15,resistance 1 and the windings 7 and 11 in parallel to ground. Aspreviously described, the magnetic eii'ect produced by currenttraversing the winding 7 tends to reverse the position or": the armature15 but due to the opposing influence of winding 11 the reversal of thearmature 15 is prevented. However, the instant the condenser 14 becomescompletely charged, the procedure outlined above is repeated. The rateat which the armature will vibrate depends upon the value of theresistance 8 and the condenser 1%. Increasing the capacity of condenser1-1 decreases the rate of vibration, since the time required for thecondenser to become completely charged is increased, and consequently,the magnetic efiect of winding 11 is overpowered less quickly. Bydecreasing the value of resistance 8 the rate of vibration may beincreased, as in this case the opposing effect of winding 7 builds upmore rapidly.

In the present invention, however, in order to prevent the reversal ofthe armature 15 in the manner previously described, an additional localcircuit winding 13 is provided. This winding 13 is connected in parallelrelation with the resistance 9 and is only adapted to be transversed bycurrent when the armature 15 is in engagement with the spacing contact16. The magnetic effect of the winding 13 when the armature 15 is inengagement with contact 16 is, however, sufiicient to overcome theinfluence of winding 7 on the armature 15. Thus the reversal of thearmature 15 as long as the line winding 1 is not traversed by signalcurrent, impulses is prevented. By adjusting the resistance 8 andcondenser 1& where- 'by the armature will vibrate at a certainfrequency, the resistance 21 may be adjusted to hold the armatureagainst the spacing contact 16. However, tie instant the magnetic effector" the line winding is increased to a value so that the accumulativeeffect of the windings {L and 7 is greater than that produced by winding11, the position of the armature will be reversed.

The operation of the system previously described is as follows: Assumingthat it is desired to reverse the position of thc armature 1.) therebyconnecting the battery 19 with the polarized sounder 20, it is necessary to apply to the conductors 5 and 6 a source of battery forincreasing the magnetization or" the winding 1-. Upon the reception of asignal current impulse of a sufficient value, the etiect produced by thewinding 13 is overcome due to the accumulating effect ofthe windings 4and 7 on the armature 15. The armature 15 is thereupon caused todisengage contact 16 which permits the condenser 14, which had beenpreviously charged due to the connection of the battery 10 through thecontact 16 and the armature 15, to discharge through the wind ings 11and 7, in series for accelerating the movement of the armature 15 to theop posite or marking contact 17. The instant the armature 15 engagescontact 17, the winding 7 tends to reverse the position of the armature.The reversal thereof is, however, opposed by the winding ll until thecondenser 14 is completely charged. Notwithstanding this prevailingcondition, the armature 15 is prevented from reversing its positionuntil the magnetic effect produced by the winding 4 decreases to asutliciently low value for permitting the influence exerted by thewinding 7 to pre dominate. The instant the magnetic effect or thewinding 7 predominates that produced by the line winding 4, the armature15 will be caused to reverse its position in the manner previouslydescribed. Upon the engagement of the armature 15 with contact 16, thereversal thereof is prevented due to the magnetic effects produced bythe windin 13 which is now connected in parallel.

perienced in operating telegraphic apparatus over long lines.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph system, the combination of an incoming telegraph line,a relay comprising a line winding, an armature, a local circuit windingarranged to exert an influence thereon sufficient to set said armaturein motion, "and a further local circuit winding adapted to produce aneffect opposing the influence of said first local circuit winding whensaid line winding is not traversed by si nal current impulses.

2. In a telegraph system, the combination of an incoming telegraph line,a relay comprising a line winding, an armature, a local circuit windingarranged to exert an influence thereon suflicient to set said armaturein motion, a further local circuitwinding adapted to produce an effectopposingthe influence of said first local circuit winding when said linewinding is not traversed by signal current im ulses, and meanscooperatlng with said rst local circuit winding to accelerate themovement of said armature after it is once set in motion.

3. In a telegraph system, the combination of an incoming telegraph line,a relay comprising main circuit electromagnetic means associated withsaid line, an armature, co-

operating contacts therefor, a local circuit.

winding arranged to exert an influence on said armature suflicient toset it in motion, a further local circuit winding adapted to produce aneffect opposing the influence of said first local circuit winding whensaid main circuit electromagnetic means is deener ized, and anaccelerating means rendere effective when said armature is set in motionfor carrying it to the opposite contact.

4. In a telegraph system, the combination of an incoming telegraph line,a relay comprising main circuit electromagnetic means associated withsaid line, an armature, cooperating contacts therefor, a local circuitwinding arranged to exert an influence on.

said armature sufiicient to set it in motion, and opposing meansnormally exerting an influence equal and opposite to that of said localcircuit winding for preventing the movement of said armature when saidmain circuit electro-magnetic means is deenergized.

5. An electromagnetic device in which the entire structure is containedin one unit com prising main circuit electromagnetic means,

a movable polarized armature, cooperating contacts for said armature,means tending normally to cause said armature to vibrate, means foropposing the effect of said second recited means whereby said armatureis held normlly in engagement with one of its cooperating contacts, andcircuit connections effective upon an increase in the magnetization ofsaid main circuit electromagnetic means for roducing an effect whichpredominates t e action of said third recited means thereby permittingsaid armature to vibrate.

6. A relay in which the entire structure is contained in one unitcomprising a movable polarized armature, cooperating contacts for saidarmature, a localcircuit winding tending normally to cause the vibrationof said armature between its cooperating contacts, means arranged to 0pose normally the action of said local clrcuit winding therebypreventing the vibration of said armature, and main circuitelectromagnetic means responsive to current impulses for producing aneffect which with the eiiect of said local circuit winding predominatesthe actionoi? said opposing means thereby permiting said armature tovibrate.

7. relay in which the entire structure is contained in one unitcomprising an operating winding, a movable polarized armature,cooperating contacts for said armature, means tending normally to setsaid armature in vibration, a local circuit winding for producing aneffect sufficient to oppose the action of said opposing means therebypreventing said armature from vibrating normally between its cooperatingcontacts, and means rendered effective upon an increase in themagnetization of said operating winding to a point where the combinedeffect of said operating winding and said first recited meanspredominates the action of said local circuit winding to permit thevibration of said relay.

8. A relay in which the entire structure is contained in one unitcomprising a movable polarized armature, cooperating contacts for saidarmature, main circuit electroma etic means controlling the movement ofsaid armature, a local circuit winding tending normally to set saidarmature in vibration between its cooperating contacts, a furtherwinding also contained in a local circuit and arranged to exert aninfluence suflicient to neutralize the action of said local circuitwinding thereby preventing the vibration of said armature, and circuitconnections effective when the magnetization of said main circuitelectromagnetic means is increased so that the combined effect of saidelectromagnetic means and said local circuit winding predominates theaction of said other winding for causing the vibration of said armature.

9. A relay in which the entire structure is contained in one unitcomprising a movable polarized armature, cooperating contacts for saidarmature, main circuit electromagnetic means controlling the movement ofsaid armature, a local circuit winding tending normally to set saidarmaturein vibration between its cooperating contacts a further Windingalso contained in a local circuit and arranged to exert an influencesuflicient to neutralize the action of said local circuit windingthereby preventing the vibration of said armature, circuit connectionseffective when the magnetization of said main circuit electromagneticmeans is increased so that the combined effect of said electromagneticmeans and said local circuit winding predominates the action of saidother Winding for causing the vibration of said armature and meanseffective upon the initial movement of said armature from either of saidcooperating contacts for accelerating the movement thereof.

10. A relay comprising an operating Winding, a movable polarizedarmature normally tending to move, means for opposing the movement ofsaid armature, means rendered effective upon an increase in themagnetization of said operating winding for reversing the position ofsaid armature, and means operative immediately upon themovement of saidarmature for accelerating the movement thereof.

11. A relay comprising an operating winding, a movable polarizedarmature normally tending to move, means for opposing the movement ofsaid armature, means rendered eiiective upon an increase in themagnetization of said operating winding for reversing the position ofsaid armature, and electrostatic means operative upon the initialmovement of said armature for causing the acceleration thereof.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day ofSeptember, A. D. 1920.

GEORGE (J. CUMMINGS.

